The Brakes are Off

You can probably guess that this week has mainly been about getting everything ready for next week but that doesn't mean it's not been fun and chaotic in the process. That also includes photographing an awesome (slightly mad) band, so get reading and see what madness we get up to when preparing for events. Also next week's blog will be written during our HD event so get ready for a some positive chaos.

BENCHNOTES - HD EDITION:

• The zine, oh this edition of Benchnotes HD, is really growing and it’s something that we are so proud of; there really is a method to the madness.

• Thanks to the team coming together to add their skills and stories (including proof reading) we were able to get it printed this week, after ironing out the technical difficulties anyway.

• We had the production line down to a science and it was quite amusing to watch and be part of, especially with how many have been printed.

• If you want first dibs on the first print run of HD1.1 Edition then you’ll have to make sure to pop down to the HD1.1 next Friday (or send us a message on the socials and we can sort one out for you as well).

HD1.1 PREP:

• As we get to the finishing line of next week’s event, it’s all about the prep, the last minute things (there’s always something), the double checking, etc.

• We’ve got the zine run ready to go, we’ve been collecting artwork from our awesome artists and finalising set times without musicians.

• Giving the socials a good push this week and updating the website is probably the last bit of work to go towards it, so if you could give it a share your side of things that would be really appreciated. We’re feeling genuinely excited for next Friday, we can’t wait for good vibes, good people and incredible art, so come and be part of it!

UNREAL ENGINE:

• Mitch has been working hard this week, diving further down the rabbit hole, that is Unreal Engine and thanks to the power of the RENDA desktops, the computer is still functioning perfectly day to day, which is always a relief with these sorts of programmes.

• He’s been looking at very “Mad Max" inspired environments and how to make them feel immersive and realistic; using layers and creating the right textures; he even made a very cool flame throwing car to drive through it.

• Seriously though, from having only known about it to creating textures, lighting and camera angles that create such real feeling videos, in such a limited amount of time, is pretty awesome.

WE PHOTOGRAPHED A BAND:

• So as you know by now, our photography project is really coming together (actually not a super amount of space left if you want to get involved, just reach out) and we’ve even managed to get a band to take part in the book.

• A local rock band called ChainDrive (go check them out on Spotify and YouTube) were more than happy to have their photos taken; great bunch of nutters that were honestly up for anything and a great laugh too.

• We ended up in a location that was basically a small scrapyard and the lads essentially just spent time having fun and messing about and I just captured their personalities and even got them to do some pretty cool shots (if I do say so myself).

• There was one shot in particular where the guitarist had a great idea of getting the bike involved; it was an awesome photo full of smoke, band patches and bike. It almost cost him a fresh tire (thankfully it was rescuable) but I'll be honest. It was worth it, it is a cool photo and I can’t wait to show them. We look forward to working with them more in future too, as they are very cool people to work with.

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - Lilly Healey:

• As an artist as part of our HD1.1 event, being involved in this type of event will be a first for Lily, but it’s also going to be a hell of a goodbye party (as such) as she’s preparing to start her new chapter as a Uni student and as an artist at Salford University. It’s always awesome to end her Stoke chapter on a high note.

• Lily as an artist has always been drawn to the darker themes of life and the raw emotion that comes with the human condition. From political statements to the circle of life, Lily isn’t afraid of creating art that provokes and challenges the viewer. Her work is beautiful and varied but always contains a deeper meaning the closer you look at it.

• We feel honoured to be able to help her to be part of his event by showcasing her artwork and celebrating the industry that she’s stepping into, in a vibrant and authentic light.